Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Winter Aconites and Witch Hazel at Nostell Priory, December 29th 2014

Last year we noticed that, following work on constructing a children's play area in the woodland at Nostell Priory, winter aconites (Eranthis) had seeded in the churned up soil and made a welcome splash of colour. Well they are back in some abundance, thriving in the very moist soil.

It may still be 2014 but the first flowers of spring are upon us.

The Obelisk Lodge is at the far end of the meadow that will look so lush with wild flowers in high summer. Today it looked for all the world like the arctic tundra. The lodge was still inhabited until the late 1950s. Astonishing because the living accommodation is tiny.

Nostell Priory itself.

Hamamelis were planted a year or so back in the estate. (Somewhere I have photographs of them...) One has burst into flower before even the old leaves have been discarded.